As part of the “Eagle of the Atlantic” joint exercise, two Japanese F-15 fighter jets have arrived in Germany for the first time after visiting the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
According to a report by the Japanese Kyodo News Agency on Wednesday, September 24, the two Japanese F-15 fighter jets arrived for the first time at the Laage Air Base in northeastern Germany on Tuesday, September 23, for defense exchange activities.
During the welcome ceremony, German Air Force Commander Holger Neumann expressed that the joint flight of the two countries’ fighter jets had made history.
Japanese Air Self-Defense Force Commander Kenichiro Namikumo stated that Germany is an important European partner for Japan, and he believes that cooperation with Germany will contribute to peace and stability in the international community.
This deployment marks the first exchange of Japanese fighter jets to Germany under the framework of the peace constitution.
The visit did not include joint training but focused on inter-unit exchanges.
In July 2024, the German Air Force’s Eurofighter Typhoon squadron participated in joint exercises with F-15 fighters at the Chitose Air Base in northern Hokkaido, Japan.
In recent years, Japan has been expanding defense cooperation with Western countries, including NATO members.
Additionally, Japan hosts over 50,000 US military personnel on its mainland.
The Japanese Ministry of Defense is preparing to apply for a record 8.8 trillion yen (approximately $59 billion) budget for the next fiscal year, with a focus on missiles and drones.